Doesn't today's shooting news ties into this topic a bit? This story is big, maybe you should hear about, but in Salt Lake City it doesn't really matter. So do you spend hours and hours reading/immersing yourself in a negative event and take on similar characteristics and bring that negativity into your daily mental life? It's decent day outside....a little overcast....but not bad weather. Christmas season. Friday. Most people you met will probably seem normally cheerful as they head into the weekend. But now we've got 10's of thousands among us that are probably feeling a bit worse after immersing themselves in that bad news. Again, just an event brought on by the Internet, nothing actually going inside their own local world. That's alienation from self, isn't it? Bottom line, discernment and the ability to not care about many things are very important skills now. I think something like this shooting should be acknowledged, but at the same time if it's not a situation that you can help much, I think you are better off taking yourself away from it.

I am not so sure that I agree Duck. I do not think people here should be wailing in the streets by any means but knowing about it and having empathy and expressing our prayers and condolences is a good thing.

If we start taking ourselves away from anything that does not affect our personal lives then we further degrade the fabric of our society. America is America because across all 50 states there is a general desire to pull together and get things done. To handle a crises such as money, people, expertise, resources...for disasters. Once we start to pull away and stop pulling together is when America is really in trouble.

I see your point but I just think that is a very slippery slope to be on.

I didn't say ignore it. I said acknowledge it, evaluate if there is anything you can contribute to helping the situation, and then move on.

So what did you gain by reading hours upon hours about the destruction of Hurricane Sandy? Don't get me wrong, I was on Jazzfanz posting about the night it hit New York City with my TV blaring in the background out of curiosity. Guilty as charged. But there's no ultimate benefit from it, and It certainly dragged on me a bit as I thought of a few heads I know back there, wondering what they were doing. I did what I could, I gave a little money, but let's say I spent 6 hours total immersed in that negative news event? What did I get? A few factoids to ramble off in a few years while looking back at it? Humans can only take so much before it starts seeping into their lives.

The internet is our last chance to hash out our collective future on civil terms.

But we're not doing it, and that's my point. We're just drifting further apart. And not because of internet itself. Don't get me wrong. This isn't the fault of the internet, this is our fault. I mean, I guess it's human nature. We'd all rather be agreed than disagreed with. I think mass media have made us more stubborn and more intransigent. You just need to look at the presidential election and the accusations against both candidates. Intransigence is now a civic virtue. How dare someone change their mind.

That said, one of the great things about this message board is that we were all brought together here by a mundane love for a basketball team. Other than that, we really have little in common. Most of us do get along just fine, however, and that makes it a very different situation for airing opposing views. It's easy for me to dismiss what Rush Limbaugh thinks on gun control because I think he's a nutcase. It's impossible to do that when it comes from people on this board whom I know to be reasonable and whom I've come to respect.

So what did you gain by reading hours upon hours about the destruction of Hurricane Sandy? Don't get me wrong, I was on Jazzfanz posting about the night hit New York City with my TV blaring in the background out of curiosity. Guilty as charged. But there's no ultimate benefit from it, and It certainly dragged on me a bit as I thought of a few heads I know back there, wondering what they were doing. I did what I could, I gave a little money, but let's say I spent 6 hours total immersed in that negative news event? What did I get? A few factoids to ramble off in a few years while looking back at it?

Not to trivialize disasters by comparing them to sports, but this goes with one of the things I was talking about. I love the Jazz and I love watching the Jazz, but when I have lots of free time as I do now, I also read everything I can about the Jazz. This forum, Deseret News, SLT, ESPN, whatever I can. And what goes does it do, especially after losses? When the Jazz blow a close game against the Clippers, what does reading 50 different opinions on it actually do, except make me angrier, more frustrated, and more negative? There's no way for it to affect anything positively. I can't control how the team play, I can't tell Ty what to do, and I can't make anything better. All it does is turn me, an almost 20-year Jazz fan, into a guy who after a loss hates every player on his favourite team. What the hell is that?

I didn't say ignore it. I said acknowledge it, evaluate if there is anything you can contribute to helping the situation, and then move on.

So what did you gain by reading hours upon hours about the destruction of Hurricane Sandy? Don't get me wrong, I was on Jazzfanz posting about the night it hit New York City with my TV blaring in the background out of curiosity. Guilty as charged. But there's no ultimate benefit from it, and It certainly dragged on me a bit as I thought of a few heads I know back there, wondering what they were doing. I did what I could, I gave a little money, but let's say I spent 6 hours total immersed in that negative news event? What did I get? A few factoids to ramble off in a few years while looking back at it? Humans can only take so much before it starts seeping into their lives.

I never read hours and hours about the disasters or horrendous crimes like this new school shooting. My main point was that to me it seems that your stance places us on a slippery slope and I am not sure I want to be on that slope or not.

I wasn't saying you specifically, but obviously based on what you post you do know a fair bit about wars and things like that so you've dipped your head into some things in the realm what I was speaking off. I get what what you are saying, I just don't agree that even at the extreme end of the slope you are taking about that it creates an uncaring person. Everyone needs to look outside of themselves, yes, the question is....how far? And where is the focus point?

I've just read way too much about brainwashing and the like to know that takes very little psychological manipulation to change moods and thoughts and ultimately shape your reality. I used to think Facebook/Myspace lisiting peoples' favorite movies, books, music etc. basically told you nothing about them 6 or 7 years ago. The reality is though, it almost tells you everything about them if they fill it out truthfully and give you enough. We've all seen/mocked the suburban white kid that is in his head phones all day with his rap music and then thinks he is a gangster after a few months/years/whatever. A lot of us are probably like that but maybe just with a broader material base contributing to who we are at any given moment. We're all probably a lot stupider than we think we are.

information is a good thing bros. good or bad. its better to be educated and know the truth the whole truth and nothin but the truth than be blissfully ignorant.
unless ur just heartbroken and depressed and at the end of the day all you just want is ur beej and thats what makes you happy even if another bro is gettin the same beej on the side.
but thats no way to live bros. thats no way to live.

I wasn't saying you specifically, but obviously based on what you post you do know a fair bit about wars and things like that so you've dipped your head into some things in the realm what I was speaking off. I get what what you are saying, I just don't agree that even at the extreme end of the slope you are taking about that it creates an uncaring person. Everyone needs to look outside of themselves, yes, the question is....how far? And where is the focus point?

I've just read way too much about brainwashing and the like to know that takes very little psychological manipulation to change moods and thoughts and ultimately shape your reality. I used to think Facebook/Myspace lisiting peoples' favorite movies, books, music etc. basically told you nothing about them 6 or 7 years ago. The reality is though, it almost tells you everything about them if they fill it out truthfully and give you enough. We've all seen/mocked the suburban white kid that is in his head phones all day with his rap music and then thinks he is a gangster after a few months/years/whatever. A lot of us are probably like that but maybe just with a broader material base contributing to who we are at any given moment. We're all probably a lot stupider than we think we are.

That is something that I think will vary from person to person.

For myself I do try to stay informed on what is going on in the world because I think we need to be. I don't dweel on all the bad in the world but i try to be aware of it and what is happening.

When you actually talk to real people via internet chat like JazzFanz, it's as good as having the neighbors over for supper.

I have to admit I use this site as vent of sorts, maybe as a "foil" to test ideas as they are forming within my mind. . . . The value of having a site like this where there are some other people who have information and views that can challenge my own is just that. It is a good exercise. It beats trying to discuss things with the cows.

I sometimes try to be deliberately provocative, but when I get schooled a bit by someone who can handle it, I call it good.

I'm not entirely sure what "truth" is. I consider all of our knowledge and information subject to improvement with some effort.